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Virtual Lotus 49 coming to iRacing simulators

iRacing, the third big player in the simulation-racing-game industry along with Gran Turismo and Forza, is releasing another car for its worldwide championship, the famous Lotus 49.

iRacing.com and Classic Team Lotus announced plans on Tuesday to create an exact virtual version of the car driven by Jim Clark and Graham Hill.

“We're honored to have the opportunity to build another great Formula One Lotus,” said Divina Galica, iRacing director of partner relations. “In addition to being among the most technically significant--and successful--Formula One cars in history, the Lotus 49 embodies a truly golden age of Grand Prix racing.”

More than 30,000 iRacing members will have the chance to drive the classic Lotus. It will be the second of the marque's F1 cars to enter the fray following the Lotus 79, which was introduced in 2009.

The Lotus 49 was the first F1 car to use the Ford-Cosworth DFV engine and one of the first to use that engine as a fully stressed chassis member.

At the Grand Prix of Holland in 1967, Hill took the pole while teammate Clark won the checkered flag. The Lotus 49 went on to win 11 more F1 races and carried Hill to the 1968 World Championship.

iRacing has access to Hill's car, which is owned by Indianapolis collector and historic racer Chris McAllister, to complete the modeling process.

The company says it usually takes about four months to model a car from start to finish. But since this Lotus was created before computer-aided drafting and before precision manufacturing techniques, it will take a little longer. iRacers should see it in the latter part of 2012. Like all of the extra cars in the iRacing series, it will cost $11.95.